Overview: The Roosevelt New Orleans has been the Preferred Hotel Partner for Broadway in New Orleans (BINO) since 2023. Because the hotel is located across the street from the iconic Saenger Theatre (where all BINO productions take place), we have worked hard to make sure we're creating activations, pre-theater dinner menus and show-themed cocktails to keep people entertained even when they aren't at the show.
The Opportunity: When BINO announced Clue: The Musical was coming to the Saenger, we saw a clear opportunity to lean into the Murder Mystery trend that has been keeping a slow-but-steady heartbeat in culture over the past few years. What's more—we're a historic hotel, so we could really have fun with it.
The Process: We didn't just rest on the research, we asked around too. Then, we reached out to a few local Murder Mystery troupes, finally landing on Killer Theater.
A Historic Affair
The Roosevelt New Orleans has been decorating its grand, block-long lobby for the holidays since 1938! Even as it has changed hands and changed names, the hotel has managed to continue the tradition through the years. It's become such an ingrained part of the New Orleans holiday culture that many other hotels have started their own holiday decorating traditions, including The Ritz Carlton, The Windsor Court, the Hotel Monteleone, The Eliza Jane and The Royal Sonesta. These days, people love to "lobby hop" from hotel to hotel, taking pictures and trying out the hotel bars' annual holiday cocktails.
New Orleans' "Holiday Hotel"
The hotel's display includes over 112,000 lights, 44 Frasier Fur Christmas Trees and more than 4,000 ornaments. The lobby welcomes an estimate 250,000 visitors each year and kicks off the festivities with a ceremonial "lobby lighting" featuring a local celebrity who "flips the switch" each year to turn on the display. In addition, the hotel hosts "Teddy Bear Tea," a beloved family event for children and parents that welcomes nearly 12,000 people across 37 seatings each year to meet Santa and friends, sip on hot chocolate and receive the annual, coveted Roosevelt Teddy Bear.
In addition to Teddy Bear Tea, The Roosevelt also
